AMD Radeon R9 370X vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Comparison

The RTX 3060 Ti is a modern Ampere-generation GPU that utterly dominates the older GCN-based R9 370X in raw compute and API support. While the R9 370X holds its own as a legacy 1080p contender, the data shows a generational chasm in performance, with the 3060 Ti delivering over 200% higher scores in shared benchmarks. This analysis compares the two cards across architecture, specifications, and benchmark results to determine which suits different use cases.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RTX 3060 Ti than the R9 370X in OpenCL?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti scores 78,927 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the R9 370X scores 25,893. This represents a 204.8% advantage for the NVIDIA card, meaning it delivers roughly three times the compute performance.

Q: Which card has better Vulkan performance?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti is vastly superior, scoring 47,784 in Geekbench Vulkan compared to the R9 370X's 9,018. This is a 429.9% delta, showing the NVIDIA card is over five times faster in this modern API.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 16,129, while the R9 370X averages 15,862. The NVIDIA card is 1.7% ahead based on the deltaPct in the nearestRivals data.

Q: Do both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate?

A: No. The RTX 3060 Ti supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the R9 370X only supports DirectX 12 (11_1). This means the NVIDIA card is ready for features like ray tracing and mesh shaders, while the AMD card lacks these capabilities.

Q: Which card has more VRAM and what type?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the R9 370X has 2 GB of GDDR5. The NVIDIA card also has significantly higher bandwidth at 448.0 GB/s versus 179.2 GB/s.

Q: What are the launch MSRPs of the two cards?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti launched at 399 USD, while the R9 370X launched at 199 USD.

Architecture Differences

The RTX 3060 Ti is built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture using the GA104 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It packs 17,400 million transistors into a 392 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 44.4M per mm². In contrast, the R9 370X uses AMD's older GCN 1.0 architecture with the Trinidad chip, fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. The AMD chip contains only 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, with a density of 13.2M per mm².

This architectural gap is enormous. The RTX 3060 Ti features 4,864 shading units, 152 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs, along with 38 dedicated RT cores and 152 tensor cores for ray tracing and AI workloads. The R9 370X has just 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with no RT or tensor cores whatsoever. The NVIDIA card also supports a 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio with 16.20 TFLOPS in both precision formats, while the AMD card only lists FP32 performance at 2.637 TFLOPS.

The API support further separates them. The RTX 3060 Ti offers DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The R9 370X maxes out at DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The newer Vulkan version and higher DX12 feature level on the NVIDIA card ensure better compatibility with modern games and applications.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3060 Ti wins decisively in every shared benchmark category. In the head-to-head data, it takes both Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan tests, with winsA at 2 and winsB at 0. The NVIDIA card's 16.20 TFLOPS FP32 performance dwarfs the AMD card's 2.637 TFLOPS, making it suitable for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, machine learning inference, and high-refresh-rate gaming.

The R9 370X, despite its age, still holds relevance for legacy DirectX 10 and DirectX 9 workloads. Its PassMark DirectX 9 score of 234 and DirectX 10 score of 132 suggest it can handle older titles reasonably well. The 180 W TDP and dual-slot design make it a simpler drop-in for older systems with 450 W power supplies, and its PCIe 3.0 x16 interface is compatible with virtually any motherboard from the last decade.

For modern gaming, the RTX 3060 Ti is the clear winner. Its 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth allow it to handle high-resolution textures and modern game engines, while the R9 370X's 2 GB frame buffer will bottleneck even modest 1080p settings in current titles. The NVIDIA card's ray tracing cores and tensor cores provide features that simply do not exist on the AMD part.

Specification Differences

| Specification | RTX 3060 Ti | R9 370X |

|---|---|---|

| Process Node | 8 nm (Samsung) | 28 nm (TSMC) |

| Transistors | 17,400 million | 2,800 million |

| Die Size | 392 mm² | 212 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1410 MHz | 980 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1665 MHz | 1030 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB GDDR6 | 2 GB GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 179.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 4864 | 1280 |

| TMUs | 152 | 80 |

| ROPs | 80 | 32 |

| RT Cores | 38 | None |

| Tensor Cores | 152 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 133.2 GPixel/s | 32.96 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 253.1 GTexel/s | 82.40 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 16.20 TFLOPS | 2.637 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 200 W | 180 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 12-pin | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.13x DP 1.4a | 2x DVI1x HDMI 1.4a1x DP 1.2 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two shared benchmarks in the head-to-head data reveal an absolute blowout. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3060 Ti scores 78,927 against the R9 370X's 25,893, a delta of 204.8%. This more than triples the AMD card's compute throughput. The Vulkan result is even more lopsided: 47,784 versus 9,018, a 429.9% advantage for the NVIDIA card. This five-fold gap in Vulkan is particularly telling, as it reflects not just raw compute but also driver efficiency and architectural support for modern graphics pipelines.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite, the RTX 3060 Ti shows strength across multiple APIs. Its PassMark G3D score of 20,349 and GPU compute score of 10,006 highlight its versatility. The card also posts a respectable 2,626 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a demanding modern test. The R9 370X has no comparable PassMark or 3DMark results in the data, limiting direct comparison, but its Geekbench scores suggest it would fall far behind in these tests as well.

The nearestRivals data places the RTX 3060 Ti at a 1.7% advantage over the R9 370X in average benchmark score (16,129 vs 15,862). This narrow margin is misleading, however, as the R9 370X's average is buoyed by its Metal benchmark score of 12,676, a test the NVIDIA card does not participate in. In every directly comparable workload, the RTX 3060 Ti wins by a massive margin.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the RTX 3060 Ti is the superior card for virtually any modern workload. Its 8 GB VRAM, 16.20 TFLOPS FP32 performance, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support make it suitable for current games and compute tasks, while its 38 RT cores and 152 tensor cores enable ray tracing and AI features that the R9 370X cannot offer. The 204.8% OpenCL advantage and 429.9% Vulkan advantage demonstrate that this is not a close contest.

The R9 370X, meanwhile, appeals only to users with specific legacy requirements. Its 2 GB GDDR5 memory and 2.637 TFLOPS performance were adequate for 2015-era gaming, but modern titles will exceed its capabilities quickly. Its DirectX 12 (11_1) support and older Vulkan version mean it cannot take advantage of newer graphics features. The card's 180 W TDP is only slightly lower than the RTX 3060 Ti's 200 W, so power efficiency is not a compelling reason to choose it.

For anyone building a system today, the RTX 3060 Ti is the obvious pick. Its PCIe 4.0 interface, modern display outputs (HDMI 2.1 and three DisplayPort 1.4a), and superior benchmark scores justify its higher launch MSRP. The R9 370X should only be considered for retro gaming rigs or systems where PCIe 3.0 compatibility and a 450 W power supply are absolute constraints. The performance gap is simply too large to recommend the older card for any other purpose.